Through Hell's Gates
by GarthTheBarf337
Summary: In the dark days of World War II, a small group of soldiers attempt to survive against an enemy that preferred death than to surrender.
1. Chapter 1

**_*EVERYONE IN THIS STORY ARE CHIPMUNKS, THERE ARE NO HUMANS*_**

_September 1942_

_North-western Burma_

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><p>The sound of distant gunfire and bombing tore through the natural peace of the lush, wet jungle. The ground shook as Japanese bombers pounded the retreating British forces, and the heavy smell of blood, death and smoke suffocated the air.<p>

Private John Campbell groaned as he tended to a shrapnel wound on his arm. He looked around at his comrades and slowly but painfully leaned back on a tree trunk and closed his eyes.

It had been three weeks since they last had radio contact with their main regiment, and hopes were fading quickly. John's confidence in the British Army had diminished, and without help from the Allies, all hope would be lost in stopping the Japanese.

Just three months earlier, the Japanese Imperial Army had pushed into Burma from Siam in the east. Having been reinforced with more troops after the fall of Singapore, columns of Japanese were now poised to attack Assam, the gateway to India. And that was why John and his battalion, or what remained of it, were here. In Burma. In some wet, mosquito-infested jungle. In Hell. To stop an enemy that would never surrender.

"Hey." he felt a hand on his shoulders, shaking him. He didn't respond.

"HEY." came the voice again. He opened his eyes and looked at a young and handsome chipmunk. He was unmistakable. John recognized him as Lieutenant Colonel Alvin Seville, the battalion's leader. Alvin came from America, John knew. As a volunteer to the British Army and a relentless fighter, he had risen ranks like no other officer had before. He had attracted the girls too. Back in the training camp, he had gained maximum attention of nearly all the nurses. But he loved only one – Brittany Miller, an American volunteer nurse with beautiful auburn hair and sparkling blue eyes. John himself had a major crush on her, and that was a reason why he and Alvin didn't get along too well with each other.

"Look, I know it's been a tough week, and we're all pretty much fucked up in this goddamn jungle. But it's my job and my mission to get us outta here." said Alvin, looking around at the rest of his depleted battalion. Many were wounded and more were heavily demoralized.

Alvin looked back at John's exhausted face and continued "Come on, we have to keep moving. The faster we get outta here, the better the chance of survival."

"How can you be so sure?" asked John, looking down at his bloodied arm "We're as good as dead already. We don't know where we are and we don't know where the Japs are."

"OK. We have a choice. We can sit around here and get blown up in our sleep or we can get our asses moving and we won't die looking like idiots." Alvin replied with a serious look on his face. John groaned again as he tried to pull out a piece of shrapnel on his arm "We can get you fixed up too when we get outta this jungle." Alvin said "It's your choice, but I'm not gonna let us die like sitting ducks."

John was in no position to argue with his commanding officer, and nodded.

Alvin patted his shoulder "Good choice."

He then turned around and gave orders to move out. The battalion members slowly got up and there was a symphony of groans and grumbles from the weary troops. John quickly pulled out a strip of bandage from his pack and wrapped it around his wounded arm tightly as he himself got up and followed Peter, the battalion's sniper and John's best friend since school.

As he walked past Alvin, John could see the fear in his eyes. Even the daring Lieutenant Colonel also knew fear.


	2. Chapter 2

Minutes later, they were on their way, trudging through the lush, tropical jungle, their boots trampling the wet undergrowth. The sounds of distant battle continued to follow them wherever they went.

Peter looked at John's arm "Is that wound infected?"

"I don't know, mate. Why does it matter at a time like this anyway?" John replied in a low voice.

"It doesn't." Peter looked away "It's just that I've been trying to find a good use for my bloody antiseptic bottle." he said, pulling out a small plastic bottle from his helmet and shaking it in front of John's face.

"No. It's OK. I don't need it." John said, pushing it away.

The group made a left turn into a swampy area, totally surrounded by thick plants and trees. Alvin made a hand-signal to the battalion to stop, took out his Webley revolver and stepped into the muddy water, which reached up to his chest. After a few steps forward, Alvin signaled the battalion to follow him.

There were loud splashes as the troops jumped into the water.

Alvin looked back "Hey, hey, hey! Keep it down!" he whispered loudly.

John and Peter slowly stepped into the water. They felt the cold, dirty liquid rush up through their clothing.

"Awww, come on." Peter groaned "That was my last pair of clean socks. Ughhh."

John remained alert, scanning the trees around them nervously "Just shut up for a while." he muttered.

The troops continued to move forward slowly, holding their weapons above their heads with both hands to keep them from becoming wet and jamming. The badly wounded had given up their weapons days earlier and wrapped an arm around those who could walk for support. The troops had faces as if to say "Come on, come on, let's get this over with." But Alvin continued to move forward slowly, careful not to make the slightest noise.

They were about halfway through the swamp when something dropped into the water near the front of the group with a small **_'PLOP!'_**.

Alvin turned around "Who…"

**_'BOOOOOOSSSSHHHHH!'_** a part of the water exploded, throwing body parts and weapons into the air. Almost immediately, deafening gunfire opened up from the trees around the swamp, and bullets flew in all directions. Some hit the water, making splashes all over. Most hit home, ripping into bodies and equipment. Blood splattered everywhere, turning the water red. Screams were drowned by the sound of gunfire and grenades.

For John, everything happened in slow motion. Like the rest of the troops, he was too shocked to return fire, and instead took a deep breath and went underwater while running forward. He saw bullets rip into the water, and his lifeless comrades sinking slowly to the bottom of the swamp. The muffled sound of the action around him was the only thing he could hear underwater, other than his racing heart.

He stood up to gasp for some air and was pushed back into the water by a dead soldier falling on him. Just then, a hand grabbed him by his collar and pulled him up from the water. He stared into the fierce face of his commanding officer.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING DOWN THERE, BOY?" Alvin shouted, at the same time firing at the trees with his revolver "AND WHERE THE HELL IS YOUR WEAPON?"

John breathed quickly. The fear of Alvin, fear of the Japanese and fear of death overcame him.

"ANSWER ME, BOY! WHERE IS YOUR WEAPON?" Alvin shouted as bullets whizzed past them.

"I… I dropped it. I… I didn't know…" John stammered.

"YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT? THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN? THIS IS WAR! OF COURSE THIS WILL FUCKING HAPP…"

_"Tennoheika baaannzaaaiii!"_ a Japanese jumped into the water and rushed at Alvin with a bayonet fixed at the end of his rifle.

Alvin emptied his revolver on the charging Japanese, who fell back into the water with a short scream. Despite his efforts, men were dying everywhere. The water was now fully red and the screams quickly died down as the troops were wiped out by enemy gunfire.

Alvin looked around "Crap!" he said as he ran forward towards the end of the swamp, dragging John with him.

"Peter! PETER! Come on!" John screamed back at the chaos.

"Shut up! Shut up! He's dead!" Alvin replied, not looking back. John struggled with Alvin's iron grip on his collar "Let me go! I gotta find him! PETER!"

Alvin then stopped and glared at John "HEY! PULL YOURSELF TOGETH…"

_**'BAM! BAM! BAM!'**_ Alvin was seized by pain as three bullets got him in the left shoulder and he released his grip on John. "AAARRGGHHH!" he screamed and fell back into the water, clutching his bleeding shoulder.

"Get... get yourself... outta here!" Alvin shouted in pain. John was too shocked to continue running, he just stared at Alvin.

Suddenly, five Japanese soldiers emerged from the trees in front of him and pointed their rifles at him. They shouted harsh orders in Japanese at him.

Looking hopelessly around him, John saw that nobody had survived the ambush, and he didn't know if Alvin was dead or not. Overcome now by rage, he found a small floating branch, which he grabbed quickly "Aaaggghhh! Damn you all to hell!" he screamed as he started towards them, swinging the branch like a madman. One Japanese pointed at him and said something, and the entire group burst in laughter. Another Japanese walked out to him and brought down his rifle butt straight on John's head with a loud **_'THWACK!'_**.

And then John's world became black.

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